


Take It Out On Me

by eyeslikeonyx



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band), One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Cheating, Friends With Benefits, M/M, Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-29
Updated: 2014-03-29
Packaged: 2018-01-17 11:47:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1386493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eyeslikeonyx/pseuds/eyeslikeonyx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Take it out on me.<br/>And put your lips on mine.<br/>Let me take his wrong and make it right this time.<br/>Yeah, you can just come over, you ain't gotta call.<br/>You always got a shoulder anytime it all goes bad, when you're 'bout to break.<br/>When you're mad as hell, you can always take it out on me.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take It Out On Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xiiis16](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xiiis16/gifts).



_What'd he do this time? Did he break your heart?_

Luke can hear a car pull into his driveway amongst all the heavy rain and thunder, and he has a feeling he knows who it is. He knows only one person that would dare come to his house at three in the morning for anything at all. The bright headlights shine through his window then shut off quickly. A car door opens then slams moments later and one pair of pounding feet runs up the walkway to the front door. Luke is already out of the bed and at the door, unlocking and opening it at the sound of the doorbell ringing loudly throughout his home. He opens the door and sees a soaking wet Ashton standing on the other side of the screen door, looking as though he had been crying. Luke doesn't need to ask any questions. The look in Ashton's green-brown eyes is easy for him to decipher.

Harry's been drinking again.

_I can tell you been crying, and baby here you are. And I always know any time you show up at my door past 11 o'clock that he really must've pissed you off._

The two boys collide lips immediately, like a magnet attracting metal. No words need to be said. Luke knows. He picks Ashton up by his legs and walks up the stairs and into his room. He lies the older boy on the bed and all clothes are shed and tossed on the floor. Tears, moans, whimpers, and words are sounded throughout the house, and neither Luke nor Ashton will admit it, but they love that they are with each other. But Luke knows that Ashton won't wake up beside him in the morning, and he is perfectly okay with Ashton using him for payback against Harry. Because he would do anything to make Ashton happy and help him subside the pain for as long as he could.

He just wants Ashton to be happy again.

_Take it out on me._   
_And put your lips on mine._   
_Let me take his wrong and make it right this time.  
_

When Luke wakes up the next morning, back sore from the scratches Ashton gave him just a few hours before, expecting one side of the bed to be empty and cold like it is every night. What he sees, instead, is Ashton sound asleep, by _his_ side, in _his_ bed, the bottom half of his body covered by the white bedsheets. Luke stares at Ashton admiringly, his sunkissed skin glowing from the morning light shining through the blinds, his soft snores being the only sound made besides the chirping of birds sitting outside in the early spring morning. Ashton is someone everyone loves to look at, and Luke certainly cannot deny that he is one of those people. He snaps himself out of his little trance when he notices the hand-shaped, purple and blue bruise covering the side of Ashton's neck. Luke knows what goes on in that house. He's known for months. He knows they fight and scream and occasionally smash a few things. But never did Luke think that Harry would lay a hand on Ashton. Harry's not a monster. Luke thinks he did it on accident, since last night went a little rougher than expected. He lifts his hand and aligns it with the handprint molded into Ashton's neck. He closes his eyes.

The handprint is too big. Luke's suspicions are correct.

When Ashton finally awakes, Luke picks him up and carries him into the large bathroom. When they take a shower, he asks the questions, and Ashton gives him the answers and doesn't bother lying. He's no good at it when it comes to Luke. He sobs his pretty little eyes out as he explains the beating he took from Harry, how he drank too much and that he just caught in the crossfire between Harry and his whiskey. He tries to convince Luke that this has never happened before, but Luke doesn't believe him. He knows Harry has done this before, but he swears to never say a word to anyone.

And Luke always keeps his word.

 _Yeah, you can just come over, you ain't gotta call._ _You always got a shoulder anytime it all goes bad, when you're 'bout to break._ _When you're mad as hell, you can always take it out on me._

Ashton goes home to Harry passed out on the couch, the bottle of whiskey on the coffee table and almost completely empty. He shudders and quietly runs up the stairs and locks himself into his bedroom. He lies in bed and cries himself to sleep only to be awakened by the sound of shouting and stuff being thrown around. He isn't fully awake when he sits himself up in the bed, but the glass plate being aimed unsuccessfully at his head has him fully awake and alarmed. He sees Harry standing in the doorway of their bedroom, angry and sober. He would much rather have him angry and drunk. Harry stalks over to the bed and Ashton backs into the headboard, fear running through his blood faster than a water current. He screams for Harry to snap out of it and that he's never like this, but he knows it's too late. Harry is too far gone to think straight.

And no matter how loud he screams, Ashton knows Luke isn't coming to save him.

_And I don't know why you never say goodbye._   
_Whatever hell he's puttin' you through,_   
_I can't wait for you to take it out on me._

Three days pass, and Luke has been dying to see Ashton again. Ashton hasn't been seen or heard from by any of the boys since the day before, and they all think he is on a small holiday with Harry. Luke knows better, though, and he feels as though Ashton may be hurt and wants to go check on him. But he goes out clubbing instead with Mikey and Calum. They're all having fun, too, taking a few shots and dancing with all the prettiest girls there. These girls are all dying for a taste of at least one member of 5 Seconds of Summer. One gorgeous girl walks up to Luke and asks him to dance, to which he kindly accepts. He needs to take his mind off of Ashton for a little while and have fun. He can't wait around on him forever. The pretty blonde asks Luke to come back to her place, and he almost says yes. That is, until his phone goes off. He is slightly buzzed and when he reads the text message, his judgement completely clouds over his mind.

_I need you_

Luke is out of the club and at Ashton's house in minutes, ready to see him. When the door is opened, Luke sees the bruised and beaten face that is Ashton and feels terrible for not being there to help him. He is about to leave, disgusted with himself, but Ashton grabs his hand. He pulls the younger into the house swiftly and only has to say one word to have Luke weak at the knees and willing to do anything Ashton asks him to.

_Please._

_I'll lay you down and love you just the way you should be.  
Baby, so now that you're ready._

Harry comes home early from a night out with Niall, and that is when he sees the shadows from the window outside of his and Ashton's house. He immediately recognizes the mop of curly hair as Ashton, but the other person, whose hair is sticking straight up, isn't familiar to him. He only knows one person with hair like that. Anger crashes into his body like a freight train as he watches the blond suck a love bite into  _his_ boyfriend's neck. He doesn't want to watch, but he can't help himself. He watches Luke pick Ashton up by his thighs with ease and carry him away and out of sight, most likely to the bed-- _his_ bed. Harry doesn't stay much longer. He can't stand to hear Ashton screaming someone else's name. But when he comes back, Ashton will certainly pay the price.

_Let me help to get back at him._

When Harry comes back the next morning, Luke is nowhere to be seen. But Ashton is sound asleep in bed, barely covered by the sheets of his bed. Harry strips down until he is completely bare and walks toward the bed. He lies down next to the sleeping drummer. He kisses Ashton awake, and the younger boy is scared to death at the sight of Harry waking him up. Harry tells Ash that he knows, and Ashton's skin turns ghostly pale. Harry lets anger block out his conscience as he grabs Ashton's hands and pins them to the bed. Ashton begs for Harry to stop and tries to shove him away, but he knows there is no use; Harry is too strong for him.

So he takes it and prays for someone to help him, anyone. But all he wants right now is Luke. He _wants_ Luke; he _needs_ Luke. He never thought he would need him until this moment. He just wants his hero coming to his rescue.

When everyone shows up for band practice the following Monday morning, Luke knows something is up when Ashton doesn't show up within the first hour. What really gets him suspicious, though, is when he sees that Ashton hasn't sent a single call or text. And whenever Luke sends a message, he never gets one back. Ashton has always been really good at answering his phone. Occasionally, he yells at Luke or one of the other boys if they don't answer their phone. When Luke finally gets a text from Ashton, though, his heart drops to the floor.

_Help_

Luke leaves practice early, swearing that he's feeling under the weather, and leaves. He drives as quickly as he can to Ashton and Harry's house, hoping and praying to God that Ashton is alive. He knows he is not okay, but he just wants him to be alive. London traffic slows him down tremendously, but he tries to drive as quickly as he can without getting pulled over. As soon as he makes it to the house, there are four cop cars, an ambulance truck, and a fire engine already there. When he sees the body bag being carried out of the house by two paramedics, Luke's blood runs cold.

_No. I can't be too late._

Luke tells a cop that he's a friend and that he received a text from Ashton, begging for help. While he is trying to convince the policeman that he is a friend, he hears someone call out his name. He turns around and sees a familiar figure walking out of the house, beaten and covered in blood, but very much alive. Luke feels tears well up in his baby blue eyes as Ashton runs toward him and flings his arms around his neck, sobbing violently. Luke holds him close and doesn't dare to let go, not even when the paramedic tells him that Ashton needs to go to the hospital. Luke, instead, rides with them to the hospital and holds Ashton's hand as the doctors stitch up all the open wounds in his arms, legs, and torso. Luke has never seen Ashton be beaten so hard. He realizes that Ashton could have quite possibly  _died_ because he was beaten so viciously. He steps out of the room to get some water for Ashton, and as soon as he is out of the room, he breaks down and sobs in his hands. He almost lost Ashton. He really almost lost him.

He never thought he could fall in love with Ashton, and yet here he is, confessing his undying love to an exhausted and crying Ashton in the middle of the emergency room of a hospital. It took him Ashton's close call to death to realize he was in love with him. And it took Ashton the first time he and Luke slept together all those months ago to realize he was in love with him too. When they kiss, it's out of love, not lust, and they both know this is right. This is what was meant to happen.

Ashton was meant to be with Luke, and Luke was meant to be with Ashton. Their relationship has never been easy, but now, maybe, just maybe, they can be happy. _Together._ And Ashton won't have to take his pain out on Luke anymore. He wants Luke to be happy, just as Luke wants Ashton to be happy. What they both know now is that they are happiest together, and they pray to God that life will become simpler and happier for them both.


End file.
